Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Volunteer at Mono Lake this coming summer

This post was written by Gabrielle Renteria, 2015 Bookstore Assistant, 2016 Mono Lake Intern, 2016–2018 Project Specialist.

Each summer, over 70 volunteers each commit to eight hours a month, June through August, speaking with visitors at Mono Lake. These volunteers are the eyes and ears at Mono Lake during the busiest season, and the visitor experience wouldn’t be the same without each volunteer.

Volunteers celebrate their graduation from training last June. Photo by Bartshe Miller.

We are now recruiting volunteers for this coming summer. In addition to roving at the lake, volunteers also assist the Mono Lake Committee with membership mailings, give talks at the Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center patio, pull invasive plant species, and much more.

One of the benefits of volunteering for Mono Lake is the three-day, in-depth training. Training will take place Friday, June 1 through Sunday, June 3 from 9:00am to 4:00pm starting with South Tufa roving and natural history of Mono Lake, and culminating in the graduation ceremony on Sunday afternoon.

During the three-day training volunteers will join retired State Park ranger Janet Carle as she teaches about Panum Crater geology, natural and human history at Old Marina, County Park, the north Mono Basin, and South Tufa. Volunteers will also tour the Mono Lake Committee, the Old Schoolhouse Museum, and the Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center.

The Mono Lake Volunteer Program is a joint initiative sponsored by California State Parks (the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve), the US Forest Service, and the Mono Lake Committee, with support from the Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association and the Bodie Foundation. Volunteers have the opportunity to work with all of the partners. If you are interested in volunteering, or for more information, please contact Office Director Jessica Horn by email or at (760) 647-6595.

Join us for volunteer training this June and spend a great summer helping visitors enjoy the Mono Basin. Photo by Bartshe Miller.